The photoresponse associated with the electronic and atomic structures of Au nanoparticles embedded in silica nanowires (Au-peapod) and icosahedral quasi-crystals (i-QCs) Al70Pd22.5(Re1−xMnx)7.5 were studied using Al K-, Au L3-, Re L3-, Pd L3-, Si L3,2- Mn L3-, and O K-edge x-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES), Au L3- and Mn-K edge extended x-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS), valance-band photoemission (VB-PES), and x-ray emission spectroscopy (XES). The band gap of SiOx-NWs was determined to be 6.8eV by XES and XANES measurements. The XANES results showed illumination induced electron transfer from Au nanoparticles to SiOx-NWs. Photo-conductivity was found to be small for illumination with red and blue light, but greatly enhanced with green light at surface plasmon resonance, which also suggests an Au-silica interface barrier higher than 3.1 eV possibly due to interface-state pinning of the Fermi level or chemical potential. Additionally, Pd and Re L3-edge and Al K-edge XANES spectra for reveal that the unoccupied Pd 4d, Re 5d and Al 3p states are insensitive to the Mn doping. The VB-PES and resonant VB-PES spectroscopy analysis indicate a marked Mn 3d contribution within ~5 eVof the Fermi level, suggesting that the Mn doping increases the conductivity of Al70Pd22.5(Re1−xMnx)7.5 i-QCs.